


A demon

by ammstar11



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Assassination Attempt(s), Conspiracy, Demon Nico di Angelo, Doctor Will Solace, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Soulmates, Uprising, War, kayla knowles - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-23
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-08-28 02:28:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16714840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ammstar11/pseuds/ammstar11
Summary: Will encounters a demon and tries to help him despite warnings to never interact with them. He can’t help but want to do everything he can to help this one no matter the cost even with war on the horizon. Fantasy AU.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Originally this was inspired by the song: A demon’s fate by Within temptation but then it kind of became so much more.

His entire life Will had been warned to stay far away from demons. That they were evil, vile, traitorous creatures and you could never trust them. But he wondered if that was just fear talking, because no one that he knew had ever personally interacted with a demon, so how would they know what they were really like?

People could be good or evil, they could have a change of heart or morals, so why couldn’t demons? It didn’t seem right to him to judge a creature for how it was born, how could you know the nature of something if you never took the time to get to know it first? Well Will was determined to find out what really went on inside the heart and mind of demons. He felt that if he could find even one demon that wasn’t what everyone said they were then he would be able to prove that people were wrong to judge them so harshly.

Will wasn’t afraid of demons, he didn’t hide at night like the others and if he heard strange noises he didn’t cower or run. He was determined to meet a demon face to face to see what they were truly like. Of course he wasn’t stupid enough to go running into trouble, he just didn’t back down easily and he was always ready to lend a hand to anyone who needed it after the attacks or raids that happened on an almost regular basis in the town that he lived. The town was at the foot of a great mountain and at the edge of a dense forest.

Demons of all kinds dwelled near the town and some made it their favorite pass time to attack the town from time to time or any who traveled alone through the forest. But the attacks were never deadly, they did do a lot of damage and some people still feared for their lives, but most of all for their livelihood. Will couldn’t blame them for that, constant raids on the town resulting in plenty of ruined buildings and roads was a real hassle to clean up, he was just thankful that there wasn’t a casualty list to match the property damage.

But even with the mess the demons left he still didn’t want to think of them as evil like the old stories said. If they really were pure evil then why did they never kill anyone? Why was there so little bloodshed from these supposedly bloodthirsty devils? It was questions like these that spurred him on in his personal quest to find goodness in these creatures.

…

Nico was the prince of Hell and held power over the demons and spirits of the Underworld. He hated conflict and preferred not to cause trouble for the humans and other living things in the world above so he had issued a decree that even if the demons were to cause problems for the humans they were prohibited from harming them, any who broke this law would suffer dire consequences.

He was happy to know that since he had come into power the death toll caused by demons had significantly decreased from the centuries passed, but he couldn’t help wondering how long this lull could last. Demons and humans had been enemies for millennia and even with the power he held, peace was a fragile thing. He feared the threat of war creeping forward, it wouldn’t take much to upset the delicate balance between Heaven and Hell and open the flood gates of hate and animosity that could engulf them all.

Nico had promised his father when he was given his throne he would do everything he could to ensure that that did not happen, but his influence was slipping and he knew it, he just wished he knew why.


	2. Crashing to Earth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico and Will meet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that this is a made up fantasy world but much of it is based on Greek mythology.

Nico roamed the halls of his father’s palace making sure that everything was as it should be in his father’s absence; his father was currently away at a meeting with the representatives of Heaven to discuss the rumors of late that whispered word of war breaking out between the two domains. A war of that magnitude would be devastating for all involved especially for those that would most definitely be dragged into the middle of the conflict.

Nico pitied the humans; they lacked the means to defend themselves against such devastation that would surely follow a battle between Heaven and Hell. They would be completely defenceless against the powers the two sides held and the casualty list would be high.

Within the Underworld that his father ruled was the land of the dead where the souls of the humans went, Heaven as part of the peace treaty had placed a holy sector there for the righteous and good willed souls that have died. That domain was called **_Elysium_** and many humans sought to gain entry to it when they died but rare few managed to get in, most ended up in the vast plain known as **_The Meadow of Asphodel_** while the truly evil and treacherous, as well as some demons while still alive, were sent to and imprisoned in **_The Fields of Punishment_**. Nico did not envy any who ended up there, that place deserved the name it bared and fit it well.

Nico knew that death for the residents of Heaven and Hell were different from that of humans, there were two outcomes of death for their kind and that was: reincarnation, or their essence being dragged down to the dark pits known as **_Tartarus_** , it was a place that all feared.

Nico gazed out the window he was standing by and looked out at the Underworld spanning before him, aside from the **_Fields of Punishment_** Nico didn’t really understand the fear and trepidation linked to Hell, sure the demons resided here but they weren’t all the monsters that everyone believed them to be. Most were laid back or mischievous fun-lovers who didn’t want to cause any harm, which was why Nico allowed them to enter the human world above. The laws for their kind were harsh and any who were found to have broken them would have to deal with Nico’s father directly. It was safe to say that after the last incident things have been much quieter.

Nico shuddered thinking of the last group that had disobeyed his father and had ended up wiping out an entire town. It had been nearly a century ago but their punishment was far from over. He pushed those thoughts out of his head for the time being and decided to go on patrol to the nearest demon settlement to make sure that everything was going well in his father’s absence.

…

Will sat at the edge of the forest leaning his back against a tree as he closed his eyes. He was taking a break after a long day of rebuilding. Not only had some demons come through recently but not long after there had been a large wind storm that had only increased the amount of damage, luckily though only a few people had been injured and no one had been killed. Will marveled at the timing, because everyone had been hiding from the demons they had been safe from the worst of the storm that followed in their wake.

Unfortunately Will was the only one who thought of it as a blessing; everyone else saw the added wreckage left behind. The villagers just saw it as one disaster after another and Will didn’t know how to change their minds. He still believed that if he could actually meet and get to know even just one demon then he could prove that they weren’t as bad as people said.

He let out a sigh as he climbed to his feet; he was ready to head back home when a sound caught his attention. It sounded like something falling and crashing to the ground, terrified that someone could be seriously injured he scrambled to hurry to where the sounds had come from.

Breaking through the low hanging branches he found himself in a small clearing. It was unusually dark with shadows that seemed almost alive but as he drew closer they retreated to reveal the form of a person sprawled on the forest floor. Will felt his breath hitch in his chest before he ran over to check on the person lying unmoving on the ground before him. They appeared to be a boy or young man maybe about his age he thought once he got closer.

He noticed the broken branches and leaves lying scattered around the boy indicating that he had indeed fallen, but from where? These trees couldn’t have supported him so he couldn’t possibly have fallen from up there, right? Pushing those thoughts aside for the moment he continued to examine the boy for injuries, he had hit his head upon impact and was bleeding from a gash near the back of his head, he was covered in cuts, scrapes and scratches presumably from the trees, but Will also saw what appeared to be either claw marks or wounds from a blade covering him.

He wondered what or who had attacked this boy because clearly someone or something had and with the intent to kill judging by the location and depth of some of them.

Will wasted no time pulling his pack off and pulling out medical supplies he kept on him at all times and set to work patching the boy up as best as he could. Then he sent up prayer after prayer that his efforts would pay off. He knew that he could not move him with the injuries that he had sustained so he had no choice but to remain here in this small clearing for the time being. Two thoughts chased each other round and around in his head.

_Who are you?_

And

_Just what happened to you?_


	3. This isn't good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happened leading up to Nico's escape to the human realm.

When Nico had gone down to check on the settlement he had felt a presence following him since about the time he had left the palace. He had tried to make it appear that he hadn’t noticed as he continued to walk around, but his mistake was deciding to lead them down a small alley way in hopes to lead his stalker into a trap.

As it turned out he was the one being led, or more accurately, corralled into a trap.

There were others already waiting and more showed up to block him in. He had barely had time to draw his sword before they attacked.

He fought them off, pushing them back at first but their greater numbers began show and soon he was cornered and sustaining heavy damage, their intention was clearly to kill him so in one last desperate attempt to get away he summoned the shadows around him and let them swallow him and the nearest assailants pulling them into the void where they would be lost to oblivion.

His only thought was to get away, if he managed to live through the jump through the shadows then he would have a chance to find his father and tell him about the attack and who was behind it. Likely they were the same ones behind the rumors of the coming war. He needed to live so that he could stop them.

After emerging from the shadows he crashed down through tree tops and braches before hitting the ground so hard he blacked out completely.

…

When Nico awoke it took a moment to realize that he was no longer in the Underworld, and another moment to remember what had happened before he had fled. His whole body hurt and he could still feel the chill that came with melting into the shadows. If the pain was anything to go by he knew he wasn’t dead, or paralyzed for that matter, if he was he wouldn’t feel this much pain he reasoned.

He tried to sit up but suddenly there was a weight holding him down, not like he was pinned under something like he thought at first, but realized that someone was holding him down. He was about to panic when they spoke up.

“Hey, whoa there. You shouldn’t try to sit up just yet.”

Nico turned and saw in the fading sunlight that there was someone sitting next to where he was laying on the ground.

The golden light caught in his blond hair looked like a halo and Nico wondered if he overshot and ended up in the Heavenly realm where his father had gone, but once his eyes adjusted he saw that the boy or maybe young man beside him was human. He hadn’t expected to run into any humans and wondered if he had accidentally jumped into a human village or something, though he figured they wouldn’t have trees surrounding them if he had.

“I don’t know how it happened but you seem to have fallen out of the trees, you took a nasty fall but you also seem to have been attacked.” There was what seemed to be genuine concern in those blue eyes that watched him closely. “I did the best I could to patch you up, though I’m sure that the pain will likely stick around for a while yet.” He tried to smile and Nico wondered if he had any idea who it was that he had treated and was now talking so easily to.

“Why did you help me?” He should probably say thank you or something, but he was really confused right now. It should be obvious that he wasn’t human despite his appearance so why would a human go out of their way to help him and then sit with him until he woke up? The blond looked confused, as if it was an odd question to ask and he was trying to process it.

“You needed help, of course I helped you. Why wouldn’t I?” He was so sincere about it too, this human really confused Nico.

“I’m not human.” Nico said as if it was the most obvious thing in existence. The blond scoffed at him.

“Really? I would never have been able to figure out that much on my own, thank you!” Ah sarcasm, now there was something Nico understood.

“So then why would you help me?”

The blond rolled his eyes at him, what was with this strange human? “Because I wanted to, I couldn’t just leave you like that and not do anything to help.” Nico looked at him for a long moment.

“Do you have any idea who I am?” he asked, trying to get a read on the other, maybe he wanted a favor in return or to try and get in his father’s good graces, why would someone help him just to help? After all, a group of unknown demons had just tried to kill him in the streets of his own kingdom.

The blond just shrugged. “Well considering the amount of shadows hanging around and the weird chill in the air when I found you, not to mention how fast you’ve recovered by this point I would say demon, and a pretty powerful one too.” As if this was nothing more than saying that he was a traveling merchant or something the blond extended a hand to him. “My name’s Will Solace, it’s nice to meet you.” He said this with a pleasant smile too, what was with this human?

Nico stared at the offered hand and for some odd reason decided to shake it. “Nico, Prince of the Underworld.” Will’s face seemed to light up at that revelation.

“Really?” But then his brows knit together as he examined Nico’s injuries. “Why are you so hurt if you’re the prince? Are demons that different from humans that they let their royalty get hurt like this?”

Nico wondered how he could possibly accept all of this so easily and still be concerned about Nico like that. Nico set his jaw and looked away; he wasn’t too sure himself why that group had attacked him like that. All he knew was that it had something to do with the rumors of war that his father had gone to investigate.

Suddenly Nico sat up as a new thought came to him but then had to clutch at a wound on his stomach and grit his teeth from the pain. Will tried to help him but Nico waved him off. It had just occurred to him that if neither he nor his father were around then anything could be happening in the Underworld right now. What’s worse was the possibility of invasion into the human world if no one was there to police things.

“I need to go!” Nico said as he tried to stand up, but whatever his attackers had hit him with must have been more dangerous than he had first thought because more searing pain tore through him and he found himself sinking to the ground before the world faded out around him once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Artwork by me.


	4. Let me help you

Will didn’t know what to do when Nico had just suddenly blacked out and collapsed. He looked like he was in a great deal of pain as he had clutched his stomach and then crumpled to the ground as soon as he had stood up.

Will rushed over to try and see if there was anything he could do. He moved Nico’s hand aside and saw the odd tint to the skin around the wound on his abdomen and he cursed for not catching it sooner. _Poison!_ He did his best to counteract it with what he had on him but since he didn’t know what exactly it was or how it affected Nico he couldn’t do much more than nullify it. Hopefully it hadn’t spread too far just yet.

“Please be alright.” Will said as he sat next to Nico and waited for the demon to wake up again.

…

It was well past nightfall and the air had become much cooler but still he sat there beside the wounded demon waiting for him to wake up so that he knew if the actions he had taken to counteract the poison had been effective or not. He planned on taking him back to his place where he could take better care of him and possibly get more information from him. But he couldn’t risk moving him just yet.

Will was thankful for the outwardly human appearance of this demon because if he had looked like some huge scary monster there was no way Will was going to be able to explain why he was bringing him back to his place to recover. At least this way no one would question anything, all they would see is a wounded traveler in need of care. And no one would question Will for helping him considering that was his job as a healer.

Will leaned back against the tree behind him and felt his eyes drooping, he’d been out here for so long that he felt completely exhausted but he couldn’t let himself fall asleep while he had a patient laying here unconscious so he forced himself to stay awake and alert as he watched the now steady rise and fall of Nico’s chest, that at least was a good sign.

…

Will felt something nudging his shoulder and he slowly opened his eyes before realizing that they had been closed and then bolted awake and sat up looking around in a panic after realizing that he must have lost his battle with exhaustion and fallen asleep anyway. His rapid heartrate decrease a bit when he saw that the one who had been nudging him was Nico and relief flooded through him, his face lit up again.

“You’re awake!” he exclaimed as he climbed to his feet.

Nico let a smirk ghost his lips and looked at Will. “And now so are you.” he said simply.

Will chuckled while rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, sorry.  I didn’t even realize I had fallen asleep.” He said sheepishly and Nico quirked a brow at him.

“Fell asleep? I’d say more like passed out. It’s past midnight by now.”

Will stood straighter when he heard that and looked at the sky to see that it really was that late, but then why could he see so well in the middle of the night in a forest? “Why can I see?” he asked voicing his thoughts because he was really curious.

“I have dominion over shadows meaning I can make it as dark or light as I want and I figured it would be easier on you if I kept the dark at bay enough for you to see. It’s the least I can do after you just saved my life and all.” He said that last part a little quieter but Will was happy to hear it, he knew that demons couldn’t all be as bad as people said; if they were he didn’t think Nico would be capable of being so considerate towards him.

“That’s really amazing, I’ve never heard of such a thing. You are really gifted huh?” Will said as he smiled at Nico, he thought it had gotten slightly darker right then but he also thought he saw the slightest hint of blush on Nico’s cheeks because of the complement. Wow it seemed even the Prince of Hell could be flustered or embarrassed by something like that, _How cute_.

But he couldn’t focus on that right now, he still needed to get Nico back to his place so that he could treat him. He didn’t know anything about the physiology of Demons but they seemed to be just as susceptible to poison and injury as humans so he still needed to monitor Nico to make sure there weren’t any lingering aftereffects of whatever poison had been used on him.

“Come on, I’ll take you back to my home so that I can make sure that you’re going to be alright.”

Nico furrowed his brow at that like he couldn’t make sense of it. “You are still planning on treating me? I’m not a human; you don’t have to care for me like one. Besides I now have a mission to do so I can’t stay here.” He seemed about ready to leave so Will reached out his hand and held onto Nico’s arm firmly but not hard enough to hurt him.

“Wait, I know that you’re not human but you still need treatment and as a doctor I can’t allow you to go without doing all that I can to help you.” That and something deep inside of him was telling him that he couldn’t let Nico go just yet, there was still an air of danger around him but Will had the feeling it was Nico who was that one at risk, and if the circumstances under which they had met were anything to go by, Nico was in great danger indeed.

“Please, just come with me back to my home. It doubles as a clinic and no one will bother you there, you can hide in plain sight until you are well enough to leave and then you can go do your mission.”

Nico still seemed hesitant to oblige but Will felt that he was close, he just needed a little more of a push.

“Trust me, from what I have seen your recovery rate is much higher than that of a human. Where a human probably would have died by now you are fully conscious and standing, if you come back with me and let me help you then you should be back to normal soon enough.”

That seemed to work because Nico let out a reluctant sigh and crossed his arms over his chest. “How long are we talking about?” he asked.

Will thought about it for a moment and tried his best to calculate it using what he had seen here in the forest. “Roughly three days I’d say.”

Nico nearly choked and sputtered in response. “Three days?! That’s way too long!”

Will didn’t know what kind of mission Nico would need to accomplish but he hoped he could get him back in good health in time. “That’s the best I can figure from what I know but it’s just a rough estimate. I’ll actually have to treat you to see how long it will take.”

Nico looked at him for a long moment as he considered it then finally he agreed. “Fine, but I need to get going as soon as possible so I hope you know what you are doing.”

Will was hoping the same thing as he led the way out of the forest and towards his home.


	5. Confidentiality

Nico looked around the small house when they entered; it was located roughly in the center of town, likely for easy access for the residents of the town since Will was the local healer. The room he stood in now was at the front of the house on the main floor, on the way over Will had explained that he kept his clinic on the main floor while he himself lived upstairs, this room was where he examined and treated most patients, while privet rooms off to the side were for those who needed to stay longer.

Will was currently in one of those side rooms fixing it up so that Nico had someplace to rest while Will figured out just what sorts of affects the poison had and treated Nico for an estimated three days.

Nico looked at the tables and chairs around the room and saw the shelves with different tools and herbs that Will kept close by. He’d never seen anything like this before.

“Do you work here alone?” Nico asked out of curiosity, he didn’t really know much about how humans healed, but he could tell it took quite a lot. He didn’t know how just one human could manage everything alone.

Will came out from the side room and smiled at him before taking a seat in a nearby chair. “No, I have help from others but they don’t live here with me so they go home at night, you’ll meet some of them while you’re here I’m sure.”

Nico didn’t know how to feel about that, it was one thing for Will to know who and what he was considering he had found him in the forest and helped him, but other humans would likely panic if they knew that a demon, and not just any demon but the Prince of Hell himself, was currently resting in the local clinic.

“Won’t they freak out when they find out that you’ve invited a demon into your home?” it was of course the most logical conclusion seeing as how most humans (likely all but Will), feared or despised demons and begrudged them every breath they took merely because they existed.

“Well they probably would, but we won’t tell them so we don’t have to worry about that for the time being.” Will said with a shrug before he yawned and stretched.

“Why wouldn’t you tell them? I’d think it would be the kind of thing people should be informed about or would be curious about.”

But still Will shook his head. “You are my patient so I’m bound by confidentiality to keep things just between you and me, and I think something that would likely cause people to riot and attack is going against my vow to do no harm. So Nico, as long as you are in my care your identity is safe and I will do everything I can to help you.”

Will Solace was truly a strange human but Nico didn’t mind, there was just something about this human that made him feel safe somehow. _How strange…_ What was even stranger was that somehow Nico knew that he could fully trust Will, and not just because he had saved him from the brink of death, just something deep within him told him that he could trust Will with anything. “I think I’m willing to believe that. Okay Will Solace, for now it would seem I am in your care.”

Will’s face lit up, though if it was due to the fact that Nico was willing to put his trust in him or something else he didn’t know, all he knew was that there was a kind of warmth behind that smile that was oddly comforting.

“Glad to hear it, now let’s get you into something comfortable to sleep in, I always keep spare bed clothes for patients while they stay here so there should be something that will fit you. It might not be anything like what you are used to, being the Prince of Hell and all but I will do my best to see to it that you are treated and recover properly.” Will said as he stood up and headed over to a wardrobe in the far corner of the room Nico was to be staying in. he pulled out something and placed it on the bed before heading for the lantern that had been lit in the room and set it on the stand next to the bed.

“You can take that with you if you want; like I said I have power over the shadows and can see well enough without the added light.” Nico said confused as to why Will saw it necessary to keep it in the room for him while he changed his clothes.

Will looked up with a stern look that confused Nico even more, while others hadn’t been very friendly towards him, only his father had actually bothered to show such an expression towards him.

“While we try and figure out what it was that nearly killed you tonight I think it might be best to conserve your energy so that you don’t over tax yourself, as well as it will make it harder to explain to the other humans that will be coming and going over the next few days why the shadows are moving. I also think it would be a dead give-away to whoever did this to you exactly where you are in your weakened state and it doesn’t take a genius to know that they wouldn’t be happy that you’re still alive after what seems to be a lot of effort to kill you. So for the time being absolutely no _Underworld-y magic_.”

 _Did he seriously just call it_ Underworld-y magic _?_ But that wasn’t important right now; Will did have very good points so once again Nico reluctantly agreed with the healer. “Alright fine, but you can’t hold me to that if anything does happen that I will need my,” he held his hands up and did air quotes as he repeated Will’s words back to him, “ _Underworld-y magic_.”

Will actually let out a laugh at that and Nico found himself trying not to smile at him, it was hard though.

“Alright, in the case of an emergency you are granted permission to use your powers but not until such a time, deal?”

“I guess that will do.” Nico said as he headed over to the bed and looked down at the clothes placed there for him.

“I’ll come back after you’ve changed and I’ll put fresh bandages on, then I want you to get as much rest as you can.” Will said before stepping out of the room and closing the door behind him.

Nico changed out of his usual clothes and into those that Will had lent to him and was surprised by how comfortable they were, then he walked over to the door and opened it to allow Will back into the room.

Will brought a small stool over to the bed and had Nico sit down on the edge of the bed while he sat in front of him and began to redress the wounds that he had quickly wrapped earlier, it was better now that he was able to properly clean and dress them as well as put salves on the worst of them.

“I guess it’s a good thing that I was the one to find you out there like I did, not many other’s would have helped you like this, though I doubt even those who could would have been as willing to do so.” Will said quietly as he worked and Nico wondered if he was really talking to him or just thinking out loud.

“Well I guess I was fortunate that you happened to come along then, though why anyone would be so willing to help a demon hurt in the forest is beyond me.”

Will chuckled and looked Nico in the eye and there was a small twinkle in those clear blue eyes of his.

“Something tells me that if our roles were reversed you would have done the same. There’s just something about you that I feel sort of drawn to and I’d like to get to know more about you, though I won’t push you into telling me anything. First and foremost I’m going to get you back to full health and then we can see where things go from there.”

Will’s words seemed to ring true somewhere deep within Nico’s heart or mind, he had the feeling he’d have helped this human just as fast and done all he could had it been the other way around, perhaps fate had something to do with their meeting today.

“I’d like to know more about you too, I haven’t met many humans but you truly are an odd one, though I don’t think that that is such a bad thing.” Nico noticed that Will’s ears turned red as he looked back down at his task.

This time Nico didn’t fight the small smile that came to his lips.


	6. Tell me about yourself

“You’re a new face around here. I’m guessing you probably just arrived last night?”

Nico looked at the young woman standing in the doorway to the room he was staying in; he was confused for a moment as to why she was there until he saw the stack of linens in her arms as she stood at the entrance to the room. She must have been one of the other people Will had said worked in the clinic during the day. “Um yeah, that’s right.”

He noticed that she continued looking at him as if trying to figure out the reason for him being there but didn’t want to say anything in case it was rude. “I was attacked and Will found me out in the woods and brought me back here for treatment, he said it could take a few days.”

She seemed startled to hear that. “Attacked? Was it demons?”

That would be the first assumption, and as it so happens, was also the truth but he knew he couldn’t tell her that in case it got too close to revealing his identity. “I don’t really know what happened.” Well that was somewhat true. He still didn’t know who had attacked him or why, and more than that he didn’t know if they would be after him again like Will pointed out the night before.

She seemed to accept his answer and continued into the room to place the linens in the cabinet before checking the water pitcher on the small table next to his bed. “I’ll bring you some fresh water, it’s important to keep hydrated when you are recovering. I’ll also let Will know that you are awake so that he can come and check on you, he’d know better what to do for you than I would.” she said as she headed out of the room again, pitcher in hand.

Nico sat back in the bed not really sure what to do at this point, he had slept well enough and was now wide awake but didn’t know what else to do since he was playing the part of wounded traveler needing rest. To be honest he wasn’t even sure what that entailed considering he never really traveled anywhere aside from different points of the Underworld before.

He didn’t need to think about it for too long though because soon enough Will came in carrying the same pitcher the young woman had taken with her when she had left.

“I see you’ve already met Kayla, sorry I didn’t get the chance to tell her about you when she got here this morning.” Will said as he entered the room and closed the door behind him before bringing the pitcher back to the small bedside table and placing it down.

“She seems nice.” Nico said as he sat up in the bed. It wasn’t like he’d really spent a significant amount of time talking to the young woman but he had at least picked up that much. “I take it she’s one of the ones you mentioned last night?”

“Yeah, she’s my sister but she lives elsewhere. I really only see her when she comes in to volunteer here, usually though she goes out on patrol or hunting, she’s very skilled with a bow.” Will said offhandedly as if he did this regularly, while he gathered things from around the room and brought them to the small table next to the bed and sat down on the small stool like the night before.

That was another thing Nico had picked up on, this place was very well kept and organized.

“Do you have many siblings?” he was curious and wanted to learn more about Will’s life if he could.

“A few yeah, we have the same dad but different mom’s so we’re kind of spread out, they stop by every now and then to help me here, especially my older brother Lee, he’s really more skilled when it comes to music but is still a great help around here.” Will said and there was a light in his eyes as he talked about his family and Nico could tell that he loved them very much.

“Others help out around here too; Miranda and Katie are really good with herbs and help supply the clinic with whatever I need.” Will said as he began checking over Nico’s injuries. “Hmm, you really do heal fast; I mean I knew this but wow.” Will said in awe as it sunk in just how different Nico was from humans.

“Guess that could be a dead giveaway huh?” Nico asked as he saw the mostly healed over scar on his abdomen where he had been stabbed, it had actually healed over quite well considering it had been caused by a poisoned blade, Will really was a skilled healer.

“Well as long as we keep the severity of your injuries from last night just between us no one will really notice, besides we can still have you stay here to rest while we figure things out.” Will said as he reapplied some salve and new bandages to Nico’s midsection and let him pull down his shirt before inspecting the lesser cuts and scrapes that had been all over his arms and legs from a combination of the fight and falling through the trees.

“I think rest is a good idea anyway, I’ve never made a shadow jump from the Underworld to the Human realm before; it actually took quite a lot out of me.” Nico said, though he was more rested after sleeping he still could feel the cold chill lingering from the jump, he had been in such a weakened state that he’s amazed he actually woke up at all the night before.

“I would like to know more about your powers if I could, maybe if I knew more about the affects they have on you I’ll be able to help you recover more.” Will said once he finished rewrapping Nico’s left arm where some of the worst sword wounds were.

“Hmm I guess that makes sense, though I’m not really sure how to describe them since I’ve never had to before.” Nico said thinking it over.

Will smiled as he stood up from the stool he had been sitting on. “Well I guess we’ll have to figure it out together then.”

A small smile formed on Nico’s lips. “I guess so.”


	7. Tell me more

It had been a long day; not so much in regards to workload since the clinic had been relatively quiet aside from some minor injuries or a cold here and there. What had made the day feel so slow was the fact that Will and Nico had agreed that it would be best to speak more about the attack and Nico himself after everyone else had gone home for the day.

Kayla had introduced herself properly to Nico once she returned shortly after the conversation the two of them had had while Will had looked over Nico’s wounds, she said that she had waited until she knew that the important part of his treatment was over to come back and see how the only long-term patient was doing.

Will had told her more about Nico’s treatment being mainly under his personal care but welcomed Kayla to come and talk with Nico anytime she had free time or to check if he needed anything to make him more comfortable, she had agreed and said that she’d return around supper that evening with food for them all to share so that it didn’t feel too lonely with just the two of them here alone.

Will smiled at that. Same old Kayla, always making sure he was doing okay on his own.

“Does she normally only spend half the day here?” Nico asked after Kayla finished her shift that day and left.

Will had no other duties to attend to at the moment so he was spending time with Nico, though they stayed clear of any topics they didn’t want overheard in case someone came by unexpectedly.

“Yeah, like I said she only helps out here part time. Usually she helps with the patrols but since there’s no need for it at the moment and a lot of people are still sifting through the aftermath of the last disaster that swept through here she’s focusing her time on hunting with our brother Michael and a few others to make sure everyone has enough to eat.”

…

Nico nodded his understanding. “It’s really amazing how close knit this community is; you all do a great job taking care of one another huh?” it was very different than back home, sure there were those who did their part to make sure that the demon society was able to run well enough, much like that of the humans but Nico didn’t know of any who would willingly go out of their way to make sure that everyone had enough to eat or were comfortable. It fascinated him how things could be so similar and yet so very different at the same time.

Will looked at him as though he was going to say something but seemed to change his mind shaking his head as if trying to shake away the thought, Nico couldn’t help noticing how those golden locks bounced as he did so.

“What?” he was curious to know what it was that Will had wanted to say, he’d never really had anyone he could just converse so openly with like this so even the simplest question was welcome since they were both trying to learn about the other and the worlds they lived in.

“It’s just I have always wondered what it’s like in- where you’re from but I just can’t seem to wrap my mind around what it would be like even though sitting here like this and just talking with you seems so normal. I really want to know all of the things that make us so different yet finding that we’re so very similar. I want to be able to understand you and learn everything about you.”

Nico knew what he meant, after so long of walking through the Underworld and trying to grasp what the humans were like by seeing their dead but gaining little to no insight, he was thrilled to be here now like this among them almost as if he were a part of their world.

“I feel the same way, for as long as I can remember I’ve always been fascinated by humans but have never been able to actually interact with them like this. I know my kind isn’t welcomed and if anyone knew it would just cause trouble but I’m glad I got the chance to be here, though I would have preferred it to be under better circumstances…”

Will let out a little huff that might have been a laugh “I know it wasn’t how I’d ever pictured something like this coming about that’s for sure.”

Nico couldn’t help but smile even if just slightly, it was amazing to know that regardless of how most humans viewed demons there was at least one person willing and even wanting to meet and interact with them, he didn’t know how he managed to be lucky enough to have found Will right when he needed him most. There must be some kind of force at work here; he just hoped it was a benevolent force because he couldn’t stand the thought of something terrible happening because he accidentally dragged this kind human healer into his mess. 

…

Later that evening as the sun was beginning to set and golden light was starting to filter in through the windows Kayla had returned from her hunt and she and Will set to work preparing dinner and setting up a makeshift dining area in Nico’s room so that he could remain in bed but have them join him for the evening meal.

It was rather pleasant to sit together like this and talk to one another while eating; it was a new experience for him. Back home if he ever had the chance to sit with his father and stepmother for a meal it was uncomfortably silent with the air between them feeling heavy. Now though as he sat with Will and Kayla hearing then recount stories from their time as children he couldn't have pictured a better place to be.

"Remember when you'd sneak out at dawn with Michael’s spare quiver and bow and practice?"

"Yeah and he pretend not to know where his arrows went even though it was obviously me seeing as how you couldn't shoot the broad side of a barn if you were standing three feet away." They both laughed and Will covered his face with his hand as if trying to hide from the embarrassment of the memory.

"Oh Gods don't remind me! I can't believe I was even allowed in the same room as a bow after that!"

Kayla realized that Nico had no idea what they were talking about and a gleam of mischief entered her eyes as she smiled at him.

"When we were children our older brothers were in charge of teaching us some skills that would be of use later in life and while I had been an excellent shot when it came to archery Will and Austin weren't so gifted, Austin just had no interest for anything that wasn't music or parlor tricks and Will, try as he might just couldn't get any of those down so he thought he's try his hand with a bow and it was a complete disaster! He was standing too close for one thing, for another he wasn't even holding the bow right or the arrow for that matter and since he hadn't threaded the draw string properly it had snapped back and hit him in the shoulder! Though if it hadn't been for that we may not have known how good he was with first aid, we had snuck off at the time and were playing with the bow without our brother's knowing and Will was so scared that we'd get in trouble that he patched himself up right away. Of course it wasn't long before Lee and Michael found out but they were so impressed with our individual skills that we didn't get into too much trouble but we did have to be supervised after that."

Nico laughed as the image of young Will trying to hide a wound he had accidentally gotten while playing with something he shouldn't have.

"Well to be fair to Will I had coerced him into it, I had been boasting about my skills and taunting him until he got fed up and tried to show me that he could do it too." Kayla said sending and apologetic smile her brother's way. "We were such terrors when we were little; it's amazing our brothers didn't just abandon us in the woods!" Kayla laughed.

"They actually tried! I think it was supposed to be a game of hide and seek and they told us to hide and they would come find us and it was well passed sun down when we realized that they weren't even looking. Actually it was only because Austin came looking for us because we hadn't come home for dinner. He had been off at music lessons at the time so he wasn't 'playing'." Will said shaking his head at the memory and took another bite of food. "How we made it this far I'll never know."

They shared another laugh again and Nico smiled, this was the kind of thing he'd love to get used to; just sitting around with those you cared about sharing laughs and memories over a home cooked meal. It was so simple but so wonderful he didn't want it to end.

…

After the meal was over and things were cleaned up for the night Kayla wished them both a good night before heading home.

Will came back into the room after seeing her to the door; she didn't live far so he liked to watch form the clinic doorway to make sure she made it home. He then sat on the stool by the bed and turned all of his focus back to Nico, going over his injuries before having him change into fresh clothes for the night.

"That was really enjoyable; I don't think I've ever had a shared meal like that before." Nico said as he settled back in bed.

"Oh? They're actually quite common place in my family, though with Austin around there's more entertainment because he always has to be the center of attention and always has something new to show off." Will chuckled thinking of his brother.

Out of the five of them, Kayla and Austin were the closest in age to Will, though slightly younger they had been really close growing up. They had been raised by their older brothers Lee and Michael as well as the community itself.

"I always wondered what it would be like to have a large family. I've felt so alone most of my life I didn't really know how to interact with others well aside from a few words in passing." Nico said as he thought back to his time spent wandering around the Underworld, truth be told he found it easier to converse with the dead since they had longed for someone to interact with and he had been more than willing.

Will looked a little sad at that. "You were alone a lot huh?"

Nico nodded. "I actually had a sister a long time ago, but she died and because of the way our kind die I'll never see her again, though a small part of me holds onto this hope that maybe, just maybe she had been reborn and is now living a happy life like she deserved. I miss her greatly but I know I can't change anything about it. I don't know maybe I'd have had something like what you have but it's been so long that I can't really remember anymore."

Will took his hand in his own and gave it a comforting squeeze. "If it helps any, you are more than welcome to share in this for as long as you want, I know it's not much and it could never replace what you have lost but you can always think of my family as your own."

Nico felt warmth and joy well up in his chest at the idea of being welcomed into Will's home, life, and even more, his family. He never thought something like this could ever happen and he could feel his eyes sting with tears that wanted to escape because he was so happy but he held them back.

"I don't know what to say... thank you." he said as he managed to fight passed the emotions chocking him.

Will smiled and met his eyes. "Well we really don't know how long you'll be here and I want you to feel like you have a place here. I want you to feel welcome and I hope that maybe you'd think about staying or at the very least, coming back again."

"I'd like that very much." Nico said with a large smile, he'd never felt so welcome anywhere before. Back home he was always out of place, whether it was because of his father or his powers he was always other among those of his own kind. For once in his life he felt like he had a place and it was right here with Will.

"I hope we can spend more nights like this." Will said and whether he meant the evening meal or the moment between them right now Nico didn't care, he agreed wholeheartedly.

"Same here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay Family time!
> 
> I really needed some touching family memories that would make people laugh and wanted to show the relationships between Will and his siblings in a fun and loving way.
> 
> Also touched on Nico's past though I'm not really sure how to expand on it right now so we'll see at a later time where that goes.
> 
> Anyway I'm thinking maybe I'll bring in Austin next to see if he has some tales to share about Will's childhood or something.
> 
> Nico and Will are so in love with each other even if they don't fully realize it just yet and there is a kind of soul mate/destined one kind of thing going on there that's going to be really important later on so I hope you guys don't feel like I'm rushing this relationship too much because it's how it's supposed to be.
> 
> We'll return to the over all plot and heinous plan of those after Nico in due time but for now FLUFF! LOVE! HAPPINESS!
> 
> Pain to come, sorry in advance!
> 
> Please let me know what you think!


End file.
